Political Calculations

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. ⁴⁶But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done. ⁴⁷So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. ⁴⁸If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” ⁴⁹But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed. He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, ⁵²and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. ⁵³So from that day on they planned to put him to death.” John 11:45-53

The raising of Lazarus was definitive proof that Jesus was the Messiah. All those who witnessed Lazarus, dead four days, coming out of the tomb believed in Jesus because of it. This word spread fast, as one might expect, and found the ears of the Pharisees and other religious leaders. This would be a pivotal moment for the Jewish leadership. Would they, finally, give credence to the belief that Jesus was the Messiah? Or would they obstinately insist Jesus was a fraud who needed to be destroyed?


The text suggests that for a moment they considered their options. If they allowed Jesus to go forward with his ministry, then all the people would believe in him and it would upset the political peace with the Romans. This could possibly lead to a revolt and the Romans destroying the Temple and all of Jerusalem (which happened later in 69 BCE). Or they could destroy Jesus and keep the peace with Rome. This became the preferred option. If the Jewish leaders were right, they could save Jerusalem and the Temple. If they were wrong, they would be responsible for handing over the Messiah God has promised and sent for them. In the end, they made a decision based on political expediency rather than principled faith.


It is tempting to judge the Jewish leaders harshly for their political calculations and lack of faith. Yet, when faced with difficult decisions and choices between competing needs, we often follow the same path. It is much more tempting to choose the easy path even when we know it is wrong. The religious leaders knew that acknowledging Jesus as Messiah would cause pain. It would mean a repudiation of their own leadership positions and a potential crackdown by the Roman army. If they chose to persecute Jesus they could keep their lifestyle and maintain the status quo. They will possibly lose either way, but they could be right and keep their privilege. How many would choose differently?


How often do we face such choices? Do we take the risk of leaving a comfortable job we hate to follow the nudge of God to an unknown venture? Do we speak out against injustice when it might risk the loss of friendships? Do we choose the lesser or two evils or find a different path? Life is full of choices and our character is formed by the choices we make over time. The path of faith puts love of God and love of neighbor at the center of our choices. We may make choices we regret or miscalculations, but if God is at the center of our discernment we will make good choices more often than not. When we put ourselves and our own self-interest at the center of our decisions, we will cross the moral line over and over again. The choice is ours and ours alone. What will you choose?


Prayer: Lord, help me to make choices that are faithful and God pleasing. Help me discern the difficult decisions with the power of your Spirit, in Jesus' name, AMEN. 

Jesus Wept

When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. ³⁴He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵Jesus began to weep. ³⁶So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” ³⁷But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” John 11:32-27

Jesus' journey to the cross was gut wrenching and challenging. He knew what God's plan meant for him. He knew the pain he would endure on the cross, but also how his death and resurrection would change the world forever. The truth is Jesus is not only the savior of the world, but also fully human. He had personal relationships and friendships with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Jesus' journey to the cross led him to wait two days to come back Lazarus, in order to show God's glory, but it wasn't without a cost. When Jesus saw the pain and mourning in the eyes of Mary he was "deeply moved" and began to weep. Jesus wept for Mary and for himself. He wept because his journey to the cross would also mean the loss of those he loved. Jesus wept and showed his compassion for human relationships, suffering and grief. Jesus wept and showed us God's heart.

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. ³⁹Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” ⁴⁰Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” ⁴¹So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” John 11:38-44

Jesus' grief for Lazarus and support for Mary and Martha show us God's heart for the hurting. We need this reminder for all the pain, heartache, and loss we experience. We are not alone; God is with us. Jesus' raising of Lazarus demonstrates that death does not have the final say in life, God does. There is nothing impossible for God. Jesus raises to new life a man who had been dead four days. He raises him up with the powerful words: "Lazarus come out!" Lazarus is no longer bound by the power of death, through Christ he has been raised. This is the promise for us as well.

Through Christ, we hear the command to "come out" of the tomb of death and despair. Through Christ, we achieve victory over sin, darkness, and evil. Through Christ, we can claim the victory of life. Jesus wept for those he loved. He wept for Lazarus, Mary and Martha and he weeps for us. And like Lazarus, we too will share in the promise of new life through the death and resurrection of the Lord. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord, help me to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those in joy. Help me to give compassion and love to others as you have given to me, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

The Resurrection and the Life

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. ¹⁸Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, ¹⁹and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. ²⁰When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. ²¹Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. ²²But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” ²³Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” ²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, ²⁶and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”  John 11:17-27

After Jesus heard the news of his friend Lazarus' illness, he stayed away for two days. By the time he arrives, Lazarus has already been dead for four days. When Martha hears of Jesus' arrival she went to him (Mary stays home) and confesses disappointment that he hadn't come sooner and the belief that even after death he could still do something. Martha continued to believe that through Christ all things were possible. When Jesus assures her that her brother will rise again, she professes faith in the resurrection "on the last day." She believes and trusts that death is not the final answer and Jesus is at the center of God's work. Jesus tells her "I AM the resurrection and the life" and offers the promise of eternal life for all who believe.

Even in the midst of her overwhelming grief, Martha believes and trusts this promise. She understands fully who Jesus is and the mission God is accomplishing through him. This faithful confidence after the loss of a loved one is inspiring. It would have been easy for Martha to become bitter toward Jesus. After all the people he had healed, the one person he doesn't take time for is his friend Lazarus? No wonder Mary stayed home. Her reaction is more understandable. But Martha persists in believing in Jesus, trusting that he could even overcome death. As Christians, we confess that through the death and resurrection of Christ, death has been defeated and we have the promise of eternal life. Martha believed this before it happened. Her faith was amazing.

Jesus said: I AM the resurrection and the life. Jesus is the resurrection and through Christ we have the promise of eternal life; full redemption and reconciliation with God and the promise of reunion with those who have gone before us. Jesus is also the life. In Christ, we have the full presence of God in our lives. Walking with Christ in our life allows us to cling to the eternal promise in the midst of suffering and loss and not lose hope.

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust in the promise of the resurrection and not fear death. Let me live the your presence each day and walk in newness of life, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Lazarus is Dead

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ²Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. ³So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” ⁴But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” ⁵Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, ⁶after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was... ¹¹After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” ¹²The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” ¹³Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. ¹⁴Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” John 11:1-6; 11-15

We know very little about Jesus' life prior to his public ministry. The gospel of Matthew and Luke share his birth story and a few details from childhood and that is basically it. The story of Lazarus in John's gospel hints at strong friendship between Jesus and Lazarus, as well as Mary and Martha. When Lazarus is ill on his deathbed, Mary sends word to Jesus. She knows he can cure Lazarus, but she also knows how much Jesus loves and cares for him. This is why Jesus' response is so befuddling. Rather than go immediately to Bethany (as most would for a friend or loved one) he waits two days, during which Lazarus dies. While it is tempting to jump to the conclusion of the story when everything works out in the end, it is important to dwell with this text.


Jesus tells the disciples that Lazarus' illness will not lead to death, but will be for God's glory. He then tells the disciples that Lazarus is not merely sleeping but is dead. These two, seemingly contradictory, sentiments encompass the core of Jesus ministry. In Christ, death is not the end of the story. Death is defeated on the cross and Lazarus' death will be sign of promise revealed on the cross. As the chronology of John's gospel makes clear, it will be only a few days after Lazarus' death that Jesus will die on the cross. Both Jesus and Lazarus are dying, but death will not be the last word. We no longer have to fear death for it is swallowed up in the victory of Christ's resurrection. Thanks be to God!


Prayer: Lord, help me believe in communion of saints and the resurrection. Help me trust that through Christ death has been defeated and I have nothing to fear, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Speak Up and Speak Out

As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. ³⁰There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” ³¹The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet; but they shouted even more loudly, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” ³²Jesus stood still and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?” ³³They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” ³⁴Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him. Matthew 20:29-34

In order to receive quality health care people need to have advocates willing to speak up to ensure a patient's needs are being met. I have seen first hand how the regular presence of a loved one in a hospital or nursing home is an important factor in the care the patient receives. Being present, asking questions, taking notes, and getting help when it is needed, all make a difference. But patients themselves are key to the health care they receive. The ability to speak about our symptoms or pain helps nurses and doctors do their work. They know their body and their symptoms better than anyone and need to speak up and speak out when the occasion calls for it.

In this story, we see two blind men who are advocates for their care. They believe (rightly) that Jesus can heal them and restore their sight. When they learned that Jesus was walking by, they shouted for their healing. When told to keep quiet they shouted even more loudly. They believed they deserved to be healed and would not tolerate being told to keep quiet. They did not believe that others deserved healing more than they did and truly believed Jesus could heal them. When asked by Jesus what they wanted, they spoke unequivocally about what they wanted Jesus to do. They had a voice and used it. When Jesus heard their persistence and saw their faith, he was moved with compassion. He touched their eyes and they could see. Persistent belief and speaking up for themselves paid off, as their lives were transformed by Jesus.

We all suffer and struggle in our own ways. While it may be tempting at times to minimize our pain in relationship to others, we must resist the temptation to make comparisons. We all need healing and wholeness in our lives. We need to own this for ourselves and be our own advocate for healing. We must let our doctors, nurses, and caregivers know what we need. We also need to let God know and seek God's healing in our lives. We can cry out to God in the midst of suffering and despair. We can demand God hear our cries and answer our prayers. We can shout out in faith for God to deliver us from our suffering. God hears our cries and loves to provide for us. We have been given a voice and God wants us to use it.

Prayer: Lord, give me courage and conviction to use my voice for my own needs and the needs of all who suffer. Help me to speak up and speak out for the healing of the world. Lord, hear us as we speak and respond with power, in Jesus' name AMEN.

Faithless and Perverse

When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, ¹⁵and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” ¹⁷Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” ¹⁸And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. ¹⁹Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” ²⁰He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:14-20

There is great mystery in prayers for healing. I have heard many stories of people praying for healing for themselves or a loved one where healing took place. I have seen it and believe in the power of prayer. There are also countless times when people faithfully prayed and asked God for healing and it didn't happen. I often say, prayer is powerful and mysterious. Prayer does not work like a magic genie that grants wishes. Prayer connects us to God in powerful ways and is an agent of change, but things don't always work out like we hoped they would.

In this story, the disciples were trying to heal a boy who struggled with epilepsy. I am sure they fervently prayed and sought to heal the boy with everything they had, yet nothing worked. Many can relate to this situation where you have given all you can and seen no change. It would be easy to lose hope in such situations. Jesus was the hope for the boy and his healing reminds us that through God all things are possible.

Jesus is quite harsh in his critique of the disciples for their inability to cure the boy, calling them a "faithless and perverse generation." Jesus calls them out for their lack of faith as the reason they could not cure the boy. This is an instance where I would have preferred Jesus to have displayed more empathy. Yes his point is valid, we all need to grow in our faith, but we are not always capable of superhuman faith. Life beats us down and grinds us up. We lose hope and faith because of all we face. The good news is true healing and hope are found in Jesus. Just as he cured they boy of his terrible affliction, Christ brings true healing into our lives, restoring faith and hope. Like the disciples, I too struggle to trust and believe all things, but thanks be to God for my savior Jesus Christ!

Prayer: Lord, help me to not become discouraged in the midst of suffering and pain. Remind me of your unfailing love and grace, given freely to me each day, and allow me to trust in your promises, in Jesus' name, AMEN.